Highly increased CSF tau protein and decreased β-amyloid (1–42) in sporadic CJD: a discrimination from Alzheimer's disease?
- Department of Neurology, Athens National University, Medical School, “Aeginition” Hospital, 74 Vas Sophias Avenue, 11528 Athens, Greece
- Dr E Kapakiekapaki{at}mail.uoa.gr
- Received 31 January 2001
- Accepted 18 April 2001
Abstract
The aim was to quantify tau protein and β-amyloid (Aβ42) in the CSF of patients with sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), Alzheimer's disease (AD), and controls. Double sandwich enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) were used for measurments. Tau was increased 58-fold in CJD and 3.5-fold in AD compared with controls, whereas Aβ42 was decreased 0.5-fold in both CJD and AD. A cut off level for tau protein at 2131 pg/ml successfully discriminated CJD from AD (100% specificity and 93% sensitivity). Tau protein concentration in CSF is probably an additional useful marker in differentiating CJD from AD.
